What is fine needle aspiration biopsy?

Also known as: FNAB, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy

A biopsy is a medical procedure used to gather a sample of tissue from within the body. Typically, this is done to test the tissue to see if cancer might be present. A fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is performed by an interventional radiologist and uses a needle to gather the tissue sample. This makes it less invasive than other methods of biopsy. If you have thyroid nodules and your doctor wants to check for thyroid cancer, a FNAB of the thyroid may be recommended.

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Reviewed by: Alejandro Diaz, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM